Multispectral polarimetric glucose detection using a single Pockels cell

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Abstract
The preliminary design of a noninvasive glucose sensor developed in this investigation was based on the polarization rotation of light produced by optically active molecules. The polarimeter developed for this investigation was unique when compared to previous investigations in that it utilized a single Pockels cell to.both modulate the signal and provide feedback within the system. The intended application of this polarimeter is to measure glucose concentrations within the aqueous humor of the eye. The purpose of this investigation was to elucidate whether the theory of superposition and multispectral analysis can be applied to the measurement of glucose in the presence of ascorbic acid and albumin, the most significant rotatory confounders found in the aqueous humor. The results of this investigation indicate that superposition of rotation at different wavelengths due to the above optically active molecules was valid for the in vitro experiments conducted. Utilizing two wavelengths of light, the concentration of hyperglycemic levels of glucose were derived in the presence of physiological concentrations of the optically active confounders ascorbic acid and albumin. It was found, except for one outlier, that the model predicted glucose concentrations to within 23%.